In an effort to innovate and explore new road construction processes, the City of Sterling Heights will be testing a new epoxy material for joint and pavement repairs on Saal Road beginning Monday, May 21.
The City Council recently approved a contract with Performance Roads LLC to provide joint and pavement repairs to Saal Road between Cornell Drive and Alpena Drive. The joint and pavement repair includes cleaning out all existing material, known as cold patching, and filling the cracks with a hand-troweled proprietarily cycloaliphatic epoxy mix with aggregate that provides a high compressive and flexural strength. The hand-troweled repair provides a flush surface as the finish; the work will involve lane closure and will be completed by May 25.
According to City Engineer Brent Bashaw, this particular stretch of roadway along Saal Road is of particular concern since the 2017-2018 winter conditions only exacerbated the existing poor pavement condition. The extreme frigid temperatures in December created a deep frost line, which was followed by January/February weather that delivered extreme temperature variances, rain, and many freeze thaw cycles that in combination contributed to this deterioration, Bashaw said.
Some benefits of the new epoxy material compared to other methods include:
- 1/3 the material cost of other systems
- 1/3 labor to install
- Requires only 10-20% of road closure time
- 3-6 hour cure for traffic
- Applied in 15-100 F for year-round repairs
- Minimal equipment required to install
- Water/oil/salt resistant
- Won’t crumble over time like concrete and asphalt over time
- Five-times plus the strength of concrete
- Higher slip resistance
- Can be applied over metal
Depending on the results of this test, Bashaw reports the City may incorporate the new technology into its general maintenance program for other Sterling Heights roads.
Sterling Heights has been proactive improving road conditions throughout the City. Since 2013, almost $144 million has been spent on road improvements, partially funded by the Safe Streets Millage. Over the next year, almost $30 million will be spent on road improvements in Sterling Heights and approximately $100 million over the next five years.
In addition, the City has worked with the County to accelerate improvement of several roads. Over the next year, most County roads in Sterling Heights will be significantly improved. Additionally, there are numerous City roads scheduled for improvement this summer.
“Needless to say, this will be one of the busiest road construction seasons in Sterling Heights’ recent history,” said Sterling Heights Mayor Michael C. Taylor. “Thank you to our residents and commuters for their continued patience and understanding while we continue to make significant improvements to roadways in Sterling Heights.”
Below is a list of road improvements planned in Sterling Heights over the next year. For more information or to schedule an interview, Contact Community Relations Director Bridget Kozlowski at bkoz@sterling-heights.net or call (586) 446-2471.
